Conceived by designer Phil Pauley, the Saudi Biome is a project that endeavors to “bring the rainforest to the desert” of Saudi Arabia. The massive domed city will contain a hotel, residential units and retail space and will employ water management and heat regulation systems. In addition, the project will include hundreds of different species of trees and plants, water features, an aquarium and a range renewable energy technologies.

The scale of the building will be about 3x larger than that of the Eden Project in Cornwall, meaning that if plans are approved, it would be the world’s largest biosphere. In addition to the waterfall and aquarium, the dome will house eating areas, a hotel, apartments, and a central viewing area and restaurant at the very top. In addition to creating a dense new city for the currently uninhabitable desert, the Biome hopes to spur on sustainable energy, cultural tourism and educational opportunities for the entire region.